Celebrating Earth Day 2020
"If the sight of the blue skies fills you with joy; if a blade of grass springing up in the fields has power to move you, if the simple things of nature have a message that you understand, rejoice, for your soul is alive."
-Eleanora Duse
Happy earth day! Today is the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. One of the ways I have celebrated in the past is planting a tree, planting flowers or, cleaning trails. Today, we will add two trees to that list.
Today is also the first anniversary of #Naturefirst Photography and I am happy to announce that I have joined the organization as a Regional Community Advocate for the Rocky Mountain Region.
I know that sheltering in place has been difficult for a lot of us especially if we are used to being on the go. However, it makes me extremely happy to know that one of the silver linings of all this chaos is that our planet has taken a breather and hit the reset button. It is projected that emissions will be down 5% worldwide this year, however, as reassuring as that is, this change is only temporary. Scientists recommend a yearly 8% drop to achieve the goal set in the Paris climate agreement.
I have seen on the news how the Himalayan mountains are now visible from New Delhi due to low pollution, something that has not happened in decades. Los Angeles has always had polluted skies and on Tuesday, it saw some of the cleanest air for any major city in the world.
We know that change is possible and while it is not sustainable to shut down our economy, we can all find ways to help protect and save this planet we all love so much.
Join us today in the commitment to photograph nature responsibly.
Nature First is built on seven core principles that help communicate how each of us can enjoy nature photography responsibly. The Seven Principles of Nature First Photography were developed to help educate and guide both professional and recreational photographers in sustainable, minimal impact practices that will help preserve nature’s beautiful locations.
THE NATURE FIRST PRINCIPLES
Prioritize the well-being of nature over photography.
Educate yourself about the places you photograph.
Reflect on the possible impact of your actions.
Use discretion if sharing locations.
Know and follow rules and regulations.
Always follow Leave No Trace principles and strive to leave places better than you found them.
Actively promote and educate others about these principles.
If you would like to join this global movement, head over to
https://www.naturefirstphotography.org/en/join
Let's celebrate our planet by continuing to do our part.